


Sentinel Maxson

by Goths_and_Roses



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: Courtship, Eventual Smut, F/M, Falling In Love, Marriage, Marriage Proposal, Romance, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-02
Updated: 2017-01-02
Packaged: 2018-09-14 03:49:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9159196
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Goths_and_Roses/pseuds/Goths_and_Roses
Summary: Arthur has admired Valkyrie for a long time, and he just has to tell her how he feels.





	1. Slow Beginnings

**Author's Note:**

  * For [](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts).



> I know how much you love Arthur/sole HancockBlocked so here you go.

He had watched her rise the ranks with efficiency and skill, and Arthur admired his newest Sentinel for all her traits. Courage, loyalty, the way she made friends so easily and made others around her smile just by being happy. He'd watch her grow from a nervous initiate into an eager knight, then to a confident paladin. Albeit after the heartwrenching loss of her former Commanding Officer and Sponsor, Danse. Arthur held Paladin McCleánn that night when she returned to the Prydwen. Of course, no one had seen how broken she was, reporting the death of the synth. He knew how close they had been, as he himself had once been with the machine he thought of as a friend. 

When she turned to leave his office that evening, he heard her sob and just couldn't let her go in such a state. The man strode over and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Paladin... Valkyrie. You know why I did what I did, but it was just as hard on me, too." he confessed, but she turned and glowered, her emerald eyes like knives in his heart. 

"Was it?" she spat, angry as tears fell freely down her freckled face. She was grieving, and shattered from the deed. Val wrenched her shoulder from his grip and tried to leave once more. 

"I loved him, like a brother." Arthur told her simply. "He was there when I took my place as Elder. He was there when I lost the woman I loved. I told him everything. It hurt down to my very _core_ when I learned that the man I trusted more than any other wasn't even a man at all!" Elder Maxson hadn't even realised he was raising his voice until he saw Valkyrie flinch. 

"I.... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you. My point is, it hurt me too. So I... I just wanted to say that I'm here, if you need anything. Strictly confidential, of course." it was the that she slumped fonward and openly sobbed, clinging to the lapels of his battlecoat. The action surprised him, but as the smaller woman wept into his chest, instinctively he held her close in his arms and soothed her hair with one strong hand. Arthur shed a few silent tears of his own that evening. 

In the following weeks, the two of them had shared a few drinks of whiskey or bourbon, or whatever else he could find that was alcoholic and didn't taste like it had been aged in a shoe. He didn't get a chance to drink with others often and relished her company. He told her stories of the Capital, the Citadel and his life growing up. In turn, she told him of her life before the war, before Vault-Tec. He knew some of her story from reports and her file, that she had been frozen, had her husband murdered and her son kidnapped, and that she was on a personal quest for vengeance, or closure, whichever she could get. He didn't know _her_ story until she told him what it was like to be young and married. He felt a pang in his heart when he realised he'd never thought about what it was like to be in love with someone as deeply as she had been with her late husband. He also found himself becoming more and more attracted to her as their friendship deepened. 

Arthur scolded himself for thinking of a grieving woman in such a manner, but he couldn't help himself. She was strong and capable, with a fierce loyalty that rivalled his own. Yet she was like a delicate summer flower that could crumble at any moment and he wanted to protect that side of her if he could. 

Once the institute lay destroyed and still smoking, he decided he would tell her how he felt, even if she rejected him, he felt she needed to know. 

"Sentinel? A word, if you please." he asked after her ceremony, once everyone had begun filing out to drink and relax elsewhere. She stopped and turned back to him, a smile on her plump lips. 

"Yes, Elder?" she asked, looking into his eyes, another trait he was find of. She was unbelievably polite when being spoken to,she hung on his every word and seemed to watch the way his lips moved when he spoke to her. Arthur felt his mouth go dry when he tried to find the words to say to the woman he had developed feeling for. 

"Valkyrie..." 

"Arthur." she copied, with a hint of playfulness. She'd only used his name once, and he loved the way it sounded on her voice.

"After everything that's happened, I understand completely if you don't want to, and I probably seem out of line here but I just need you to know-" he started speaking faster and accidentally bit his tongue "Ow. Damnit." Val's giggle seemed to calm him, yet make him all the more nervous at the same time. "Look.... I've grown to admire you, as a soldier, as a person and... As a woman. You're the most capable among us, and I don't want you to think I'm saying any of this because of my position. I wouldn't do that, but I.." he trailed off and watched her face for a reaction. She was blushing, a pale pink on her cheeks. 

"I know you must still be grieving over your late husband, and now your son as well, but I just needed to tell you. And I hope one day, you'll consider entering a romantic relationship with me?" he asked a little sheepishly, feeling like his younger self when he tried to tell Sarah he loved her. 

"Arthur.... I had no idea you felt that way. And yes, we've grown close lately and of course, I respect you more than anything, not just as Elder but as a human being. I... Give me some time. I'm very fond of you, too. If you can promise to be patient with me, I think a courtship would be fulfilling for the both of us." Valkyrie stepped forward and took his hand in both of hers. Her smile was sad, but she looked into his eyes before standing on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek, right on the rugged scar that ran down his face. 

"I'll wait as long as it takes if I can be with you." Arthur told his Sentinel as he brought her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles softly.


	2. How does this work?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maxson doesn't know how to be a boyfriend yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow Elder Maxson is not easy to write, I want him to be but I guess I need to practice.

It had been a week since Valkyrie had agreed to court Arthur, yet he hadn't seen her in that time. She'd been busy with some missions from Kells, Teagan and Ingram. They all had some insignificant little fetch quests or something. He really should tell them not to bother his Sentinel with such trivial matters, she should be doing more important things. But what we're those things? Killing Mutants and Ferals? Rounding up escaped Synths and possibly Institute scientists? Yes those things were important, but they were also dangerous, and while he had no doubts about her combat abilities, Arthur had no intentions of letting his Valkyrie run head first into danger. 

During his thoughts, a knock on his door went unheard. "Elder, I know you're in there. The light is on." her sweet voice drifted through the door as she cracked it open. There she was, his Sentinel. His... Girlfriend. The word seemed so childish in comparison to her. Valkyrie was a mature, sensible woman, but what else could he call her? Regardless, she interrupted his thoughts for a second time in as many minutes. "Arthur? It's me~" she cooed as she strolled over to his desk, smile bright and beautiful. 

"Sorry, I was distracted. I've been working a lot today." the man apologised, standing from his desk to greet her. How should he greet her? Was it okay to hug her? Could he kiss her cheek? Arthur ended up just standing awkwardly, his stance tall and strong as if he were about to give a speech to his soldiers. Val chuckled and stepped up to him. "Why so serious, Arthur? You look like a statue~" she teased, poking his chest with her index finger. As he tried to relax, Arthur found himself staring at her, watching her, trying to count the freckles on her cheeks. When he saw her roll her emerald eyes, he snapped out of his trance just in time for her to tiptoe and kiss his cheek. "Say something." 

"Sorry. I... I'm just not sure how I'm supposed to act around you. I've never... Courted anyone before." he confessed, reminded of just how young he was. Barely out of his teens with no romantic (or sexual) experience. Other than being the leader of the Brotherhood of Steel, and a capable warrior, Maxson felt he had nothing to offer this beautiful, smart woman. She simply shook her head at his words. "Relax, it's okay. We're going slow, right? Why don't we get some lunch together?" 

Lunch sounded good. "Excellent idea, Valkyrie."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's short I hope it's okay.


End file.
